Predation on the arboreal eggs of three species of Phyllomedusa in Central Amazônia

Abstract

We investigated the aspects of the reproductive characteristics of three species of Phyllomedusa, identified the main embryo predators, and quantified the impact of different predators on clutches of each Phyllomedusa species in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Clutches of Phyllomedusa tarsius had the lowest proportion of attack by predators (29%), 59% of Phyllomedusa tomopterna clutches were attacked by predators, and 61% of Phyllomedusa bicolor clutches were attacked by predators. Staphilynid beetles and phorid flies were the main causes of clutch loss (18 and 17 clutches, respectively), followed by mammals (6), and unidentified (13) predators. Our field observations showed that egg mortality per clutch resulting from phorid flies and staphilynid beetles predation that varied from 67% in P. tomopterna to 77% in P. tarsius. Mammal predation was registered only in P. bicolor clutches, and it was 100%. High clutch attacked rates and within-clutch mortality suggest that predation plays an important role in determining larval recruitment for arboreal egg-laying in Central Amazonia.